Star Wars Episode VII: The Last Destiny
by Padawan Skywalker
Summary: What would happen if Darth Vader could go back and change his past? Would he succeed in changing it, or fail miserably? AnakinPadme romance. This is my first story so please comment.
1. Prologue

Luke Skywalker stood over his father, looking down on him not with anger from his lack of presence in Luke's life, but with a new hope. "Luke, my son, you must leave me and go immediately or you will not survive," whispered Anakin as he struggled for life.

"Father, I cannot go until…I must explain to you..." Vader's lungs were beginning to fail. His breathing was becoming raspier. "Father, the last time I saw Yoda he gave me this." Luke held out a small vibrating orb that was glowing like a miniature moon. "He told me to give it to you," stated Luke hesitantly. Truthfully, Luke had no idea what this orb could do for his father, but he knew there must be a reason, for although Yoda had been very old, he was incredibly wise.

Vader gazed at the orb quizzically. The machinery inside his suit, keeping him alive, was failing.

Luke panicked and said quickly, "The last words Yoda said were…" Luke's sentence was cut short when a large explosion shook the Death Star. Darth Vader's guards were running about frantically in the distance, discussing amongst themselves what just happened. Luke heard one distinct word, "Fire!", and knew immediately that he must leave. Anakin seemed to think the same.

"My son, you must go! Do…do not worry about me. It is my destiny to die, not yours. Go!" Luke, finally giving up, set the small orb on the floor and, after another large explosion, ran for the door of the escape shuttle. When Luke shut the door, Anakin whispered, "Goodbye my son." and with his last breath, placed his dying hand on the orb.


	2. Chapter 1: Reunion

Shortly after Luke escaped the Death Star, he watched as moments later it went up in flames, his father with it. If someone were to tell Luke at this moment that it was the end of the world, I'm sure he would have accepted it as a fact. "I must contain my emotions," he declared aloud, reminding himself that he was a Jedi and must act like one.

Arriving on the moon of Endor, Luke felt a sense of calm and knew immediately that his friends were alive and safe. Walking through the dense, lush forest, it was apparent there had been a great battle here. The trees seemed to be crying out for help as some were on fire and others were lying on the forest floor.

It did not take long for Luke to find Leia and the others. Triumphant calls were coming from the center of the forest, and above all the raucous noise was a large puff of smoke from what Luke assumed to be a bonfire. He smiled as he spotted Leia close by, in Han Solo's arms. Luke always knew that Han was meant for her, but he never wanted to admit it until he was told Leia was his sister. It was a shock of course, but somehow, Luke sensed he had always known. Leia spotted him and Luke brought her into a gracious, warm embrace. Han walked up to Luke, who was ready to shake his hand, when Han grabbed him in a brother-like hug that had no cruel intentions at all.

As Luke walked away to greet C3PO, he heard Han whisper, "Thanks for your sister Luke. She's a real babe." Luke laughed while in the background C3PO was complaining about being built for housework, not battles.

When Luke turned around to chat with Leia and Han, he sensed someone was behind him. Turning around, he spotted the spirit of Ben and smiled. Good memories flooded Luke's mind about when he first met Ben. He had been a great friend and Jedi master until Vader had killed him. Ben then held out his right arm to show that two others had arrived. Luke gasped in amazement. There standing before him was Yoda, the Jedi master who had completed his training and Luke's father, not in his cold machinery, but young and wise, grinning with loving adoration at his son. **He was a Jedi.**


	3. Chapter 2: A New Beginning

Everything around Anakin Skywalker began to spin; he was swirling in a world of fanciful color. He began to get incredibly dizzy and pain was issuing from all parts of his body, especially his right arm where he lost his hand in battle years ago. The machinery that he wore to keep himself alive was slowly peeling off in all the chaos, and Anakin's terror became even more apparent. Finally, he passed out.

Sometime later, Anakin woke up. He glanced at his surroundings and gasped. How could he be here? Here was the palace on Naboo where he had spent 3 years of his life. He began to feel dizzy again and put his right hand to his head in bewilderment. **Wait**. His right hand? He had lost his right hand…

Anakin lifted himself off of the ground and walked over to a mirror mounted on the wall. There standing before him was his 20 year-old selfno machinery, no missing hand, no Darth Vader. Proclaiming aloud in wonder, "What's going on!" Anakin heard voices coming from outside the room, in the hallway. Contemplating what he should do next, he heard a woman's piercing cries and sensed that he must leave. Rummaging through a dresser drawer, he found a cloak with a hood that he placed over his head, shadowing his face completely and slowly sneaked out the door.

Once out the door, memories came flooding back. Anakin remembered exactly where he was, even though he had not been here for over 20 years. Placing his hand inside a pocket in the cloak, he realized he had not stolen it. It used to be his. Inside was his old, faithful light saber that was incredibly powerful. His hand swept over it, looking upon the saber with wonder and awe at his own creation. Anakin had been so distracted he did not realize where he was leading himself. When he glanced upwards, he stood as stiff as a board. In front of him was the Throne Room where he had spent countless hours of his life in conferences with the Chancellor, his representatives, and Anakin's wife, the Senator of Naboo.

Although he was married to the Senator, Anakin had never gained much power. This had frustrated him at the time, especially since he had been a powerful Jedi. Now, thinking about this dilemma, it made him laugh aloud, but the laugh was not as quiet as he had thought. Someone heard.

"Ah. Obi-Wan, the Senator has been waiting for you. Senator Amidala is in here," a heavily armed guard dressed in scarlet declared. Hundreds of thoughts came rushing through Anakin's mind. He was so overwhelmed with what the guard had said time seemed to stop. His thoughts merged into a number of confusing questions that Anakin was trying to figure out. 'How could Senator Amidala, his wife, Padmè, be alive? She was dead! What is happening? Why did the guard think he was Obi Wan?

What year is this? Could I possibly have **gone back in time?'**

Anakin cautiously entered the room, telling the guard to leave. The Senator **was** alive. She was standing before him rocking a baby boy in her arms, tears streaming down her cheeks. Senator Amidala seemed on the point of exhaustion, lines under her eyes, her hair a mass of tangles surrounding her visage. Although in awful condition, she was still as beautiful as Anakin had always remembered her.

She spoke even though it gave her tremendous pain. "Obi-Wan, take Luke away. He'll be safe with you." With great difficulty she whispered, "Anakin must not know he has a son." Relieved she had finished speaking; she walked over to Anakin and placed his son, Luke, in his arms. He did not know what to do. But, he did not need to do anything, because seconds later the real Obi-Wan Kenobi appeared in the doorway.

Padmè stood in shock, glaring at Anakin with hatred. She yelled with anger and frustration, "How dare you!" and took the baby away from his grasp. Luke began to cry uncontrollably, but Padmè was not paying attention.

Obi-Wan took out his light saber, staring into the shadows of the hood where Anakin's face was hidden. "Who are you?" he asked calmly, but with apparent dislike.

Disguising his voice, Anakin answered back, "You don't want to know." and fled to the doorway. Anakin was not worried. He knew Obi-Wan would let him go. If he did not bring any trouble, he was free to leave. Apparently, Padmè did not think the same way. Amid Obi-Wan's yells of protest, she ran over to the door and locked it.

"You will stay here until you tell me who you are." Anakin laughed. Not a cold laugh, but a warm, gracious one. His wife was still as aggressive as he had remembered. Unfortunately, she seemed offended by his sudden burst of amusement and tried to pull off his cloak.

Struggling to contain his emotions, as a Jedi must do, he asked her, "Are you sure you want to know?" When Padmè nodded and there was no reaction from Obi-Wan, Anakin slowly pulled off his hood.


	4. Chapter 3: Past the Point of No Return

"NO!" yelled Padmè with full force. She fell to the ground, protecting her child in her arms. But Obi-Wan did not react as Anakin had assumed he would. Obi-Wan did not turn on his light-saber, but placed it on the ground, and looked into Anakin's face. Padmè was bawling on the floor, until Obi-Wan came over and touched her on the shoulder.

She looked up into Obi-Wan's eyes trustingly and Anakin saw her grief. He looked at the floor filled with guilt. Anakin knew why she had reacted with so much hatred. In the past, he had been turned into a horrible man.

When Anakin had married Padmè, he was a Jedi, but after only a few years he was told to meet the Chancellor in his private quarters. Once he entered that room, his life was changed forever. Chancellor Palpatine had been corrupted by power and had secretly become a powerful Sith Lord, Darth Sidious. Now it was Anakin's turn. The Chancellor had known that Anakin was the most powerful Jedi ever created and he needed his powers of deception to become Emperor. His plan worked because Anakin's weakness was his emotions. Over a period of time, Palpatine had created so much anger and hate in Skywalker that he had willingly entrusted his life to the Chancellor's untrustworthy, deceitful hands.

Anakin jerked his head up in a flash when he heard the Senator gasp yet again. She turned to Obi-Wan and asked, "Why is he doing this to me?" while Obi-Wan began to lift her up from the floor. "Look into Anakin's eyes Padmè," Obi-Wan murmured softly, "does he look the same to you?"

As Senator Amidala obeyed, the doors to the chamber opened, and hundreds of guards filed in. Only seconds later, gunshots issued throughout the room and before Anakin could defend himself, he felt a sharp pain in his back, and fell to the floor, unconscious, to the piercing screams of his beloved Padmè.

Anakin was woken abruptly by Obi-Wan anxiously shaking him. He sat up quickly, and felt a dull pain in his back. "What's going on?" he asked with great interest. Obi-Wan did not answer immediately because he was standing by the door, yelling orders to the Senator's guards. In the background, Anakin heard gunshots and explosions, reminding him terribly of the battle on the Death Star. Obi-Wan stated quickly, "I'll explain later, but for now, come with me. Get your lightsaber ready." Anakin stood up, shrugging off his pain, and stumbled toward the door.

"Turn on your light saber!" yelled Obi-Wan fiercely. Anakin hesitantly took his saber into his hands, knowing that it may take some time to gain back Obi-Wan's trust.

Lying everywhere, dead in the halls, were Senator Amidala's guards. In front of Obi-Wan and Anakin were at least 50 of the Emperor's army, decked in white contraptions in the same design as they would be in the future fighting for Darth Vader. Anakin flinched when they stopped shooting. **The army knew who he was**. 'This might get complicated,' he thought as he began to think of a way to get out of their clutches.

Anakin turned around, facing Obi-Wan and said quickly, "Go along with my plan." When Obi-Wan glanced at him with an irritated look on his face and ready to protest, Anakin whispered as he turned around to face the Emperor's men, "Trust me."

Grabbing hold of Obi-Wan's wrists, Anakin took off his belt and tied Obi-Wan's arms around his back. Facing the small army, with a look of triumph on his face, he exclaimed, "I have him! Go back to your stations. I'll be there soon. GO!" The soldiers shouted cheers of victory, while Anakin struggled to hold back a snigger. When the hall was completely deserted, he untied his belt from around Obi-Wan's wrists and softly, but firmly said, "Run!"

Obi-Wan obeyed and Anakin followed shortly behind him. When they entered the palace courtyard, the escape had in fact just begun. Entering the shuttle that Padmè's guards had prepared, Anakin ran to the front, sat down, and started the engine. As it began to lift up from the ground, Anakin suddenly felt a pang of emotion and he was almost swept out of his chair. Trying to discover what was causing it, he screamed over the roaring of the engine, "Obi-Wan! OBI-WAN! Do you feel what I feel? What did we forget!"

Obi-Wan yelled in a frustrated tone, "Anakin! Put us back down! It's Padmè! She's not on the ship!"


	5. Chapter 4: Lessons

**"**Great!" shouted Anakin sarcastically, worried about Padmè's welfare. Obi-Wan ran to the front of the ship and took over the controls.

Before Anakin could protest, Obi-Wan stated firmly, "Do not let your emotions overwhelm you. This is for your safety," and turned the ship back in the direction of the palace, guiding it to the courtyard. Anakin knew he had been offended, but surprisingly he was not angry. 'Maybe I am learning,' he thought before he unbolted the hatch of the ship.

Anakin ran out the door, apprehensively awaiting an attack from the Emperor's troops. No attack came. 'It's too quiet' he informed himself in a cautious manner.

Obi-Wan struggled to get out of the ship, restraining a large group of guards that were insisting Anakin and him needed their help to find Padmè. Using his sleight of the hand trick, Obi-Wan told them, "You do not need to come with us. We are not outnumbered. You need to stay on the ship and watch for the Emperor." At least half of the weak-minded guards followed his instructions, amid the angry yelling of the others whose minds were too strong to be fooled.

Anakin walked over to the others and reluctantly threatened them with losing their jobs if they did not listen to Obi-Wan, and finally they got back onto the ship and closed the door behind them.

"Now that that's been taken care of, do you have any idea where Padmè is?" interrupted Anakin as Obi-Wan stared into the palace windows obviously trying to hold back a criticism of Anakin's persuasive methods.

"Anakin, be quiet. I think I hear something," whispered Obi-Wan as his face changed to complete concentration. He looked into Anakin's eyes and could barely stammer out, "Don't look behind you."

Before Anakin could turn around, he felt a hand touch his shoulder. 'No. This can't be good,' Anakin thought trying to hide his fear.

"Ah yes, Anakin. This cannot be good for you, but it shall help my cause immensely."

**It was the Emperor.** "I see you have regained your lost body parts from the battle with Obi-Wan last year. Oh no, you do not need to explain how it happened. As you can tell, I already know. As you can see, I am all-powerful, but you, my apprentice, already knew that."

"I am NOT your apprentice anymore!" screamed Anakin as he struggled to get out of the Emperor's grip. He felt the Emperor's powers slowly, forcefully reaching into his psyche, making the Force's influence become weak. This feeling was new to Anakin. It felt like being drenched in freezing water.

'How am I going to get out of this! Is it even possible?' Anakin contemplated.

_Ah, I see your dilemma young Skywalker. And no, you cannot possibly get out of this for I am more powerful than you and your friend here_. The Emperor was speaking but his mouth was not moving.

'You're talking in my head! Leave my thoughts alone, you, you…you fiend! I am no longer your apprentice!'

_That is what you think, but Anakin, Anakin the angrier you get with me the more the chances you come back to the Dark Side. _

Almost out of instinct, Anakin pulled out his light-saber and turned it on. He felt the power surging through him, the feeling was immense. It felt as if there was a cold wind whooshing past him. His whole body began to tingle and all he could hear was the Emperor's sinister, cold laugh echoing through the courtyard.


End file.
